Off-highway work vehicles, such as tractors, have been developed for many purposes and are generally used on a wide variety of terrains. For example, certain work vehicles must be capable of traveling over or through dirt, mud, snow, ice, water, and/or various other terrains. In order to increase a work vehicle's ability to travel through such terrains, certain work vehicles include two or more track assemblies to drive and/or steer the work vehicle. The inclusion of two or more track assemblies may increase the work vehicle's ability to engage the various terrains without losing traction and thus may enhance the work vehicle's performance through such sluggish or slippery terrains.
The track assemblies generally include a drive Wheel mechanically engaged with an endless track and a plurality of idler wheels. The idler wheels support the track assembly and keep a desired amount of tension on the endless track. Rotational force is transferred from an engine of the work vehicle through a transmission, drive shaft, and axle to the drive wheel. The axle and drive wheel are then attached such that the drive wheel receives the transferred rotational force and engages the endless track of the work vehicle. The drive wheel generally includes an inner wall attached to the axle through a hub assembly, an outer wall, and radially extending spokes extending from the inner wall to the outer wall. Additionally, the outer wall defines one or more features for engaging the endless track.
However, certain problems exist with such a configuration. For example, debris from the terrain, such as mud, dirt, snow, ice, or a combination thereof, may be carried to the drive wheel from the endless track, and from there may travel, e.g., through the spokes of the drive wheel, to a chassis of the work vehicle. Once the debris is on the chassis of the work vehicle, it may be difficult for an owner or operator of the work vehicle to clean or otherwise remove the debris.
Accordingly, a track assembly for a work vehicle with a drive wheel that is configured to assist in reducing the amount of debris that accumulates on the chassis of the work vehicle during operation of the vehicle would be useful.